Harmless fun
by InnocentSmile97
Summary: The Artful Dodger decides that life needs a bit of fun! But does Charley Bates like his idea of fun..? Dodger/Charley
1. Harmless fun

**Harmless fun**

Everyone was out. Fagin, Bet, Nancy, Sikes, the boys. Everyone that it is except Charley Bates and Jack Dawkins. Much to Jack's annoyance, Charley had been taking his time sorting the stolen goods that were the results of a hard day's work, which he had been instructed to do by Fagin before he took the boys to The Three Cripples where he would meet Nancy and Bet. As Jack was a good friend to Charley (and the fact that Charley had persuaded him), he had remained behind with his mate so that they could go together when Charley was done. Although from the amount of time Charley was taking just to put up the handkerchiefs, he was now slightly regretting his decision.

"Com'on Charley, we aint got foreva!"

"Keep ya hair on! I gotta make sure I put the ones that need the trademark on 'em sep'rat' from the good uns!"

Dodger groaned his impatience. He was growing bored of Charley checking and rechecking every handkerchief before jumping up to put them on the line. He would've helped him but he knew that if he did, Charley would only go back and check the ones that he'd done, just to make absolute sure.

God, why was he always so paranoid! He had to do all of them perfectly! Dodger was growing bored. But as he gazed at the corner of the table an idea popped into his head. Albeit a stupid one. A mad one. A cheeky one. But the Dodger was a man of impulse.

Charley was concentrating on hooking the last handkerchief meaning he didn't notice Jack creeping round the table and didn't notice the strange glint in his mischievous eyes.

Charley felt two skinny hands on his shoulder but he didn't have the time to react because the next thing he knew was that he was being pressed against the wall with the Dodger standing over him, his body merely inches away from Charley's own.

"W-w-what chu playin' at, Jac'?" stammered Charley.

Dodger just laughed at his shocked face, clearly enjoying guessing the thoughts that were going through Charley's head. Dodger let his hands wander around his body as though trying to see how long it would take until Charley backed away. And Charley did back away. In fact he ducked out from his reach and turned round so that he now faced his companion again, but now so that Dodger was the closest to the wall. Dodger grinned at Charley.

"What's the ma'er, Charley? Don't cha like it?"

Dodger moved towards Charley. Charley stood breathlessly. Dodger put his hands round Charley's waist. Charley let him.

"Well?" prompted Dodger.

Charley didn't know how to answer. As he stared into those deep, cheeky brown eyes, he realised that he couldn't think straight enough to give an answer.

Dodger picked him up and put him on top of the table as he was light, and lacked most of the weight that he ought to have. Charley leaned back until he was lying flat on the tabletop as Dodger got up on top of him.

"W-w-we should be gettin' t' Fagin. They'll be w-w-wonderin' where we've got t'…"

Dodger's lips hovered so temptingly close to Charley's.

"Suppose ya righ'." Said Dodger. He moved smoothly off the table, allowing Charley to sit up and hop off again.

Charley's head was spinning wildly. Jack's messages were all so mixed. His reasons were all so hazy and his body so close…

"What… why…?" mumbled Charley.

"Its jus' so borin' at the moment," said Jack "Nothin' t' do. So I added a bita excitement. It's best tha' we keep this little game jus' between us two. Our little game. Harmless fun."

"Harmless fun…" agreed Charley, not quite knowing what he was agreeing to.

Dodger moved to the door as Charley tried to collect his confusing thoughts.

"Com'in?"

Charley gave his head a mental shake and fell into step beside his friend. And they walked to the Three Cripples as though nothing had ever happened.


	2. Touchy Feely

**Touchy Feely**

It was payback. Charley knew that by starting the new "little game" Dodger had got one up on him. A point if you wish. And now it was time to get even.

Dodger, Charley, Bet and Nancy were all sitting around the table with a pack of cards. They had been playing "Spec or Speculation" and as usual, Dodger was winning by far.

"Yes!" shouted Jack as he swept all of the cards in the middle into his own hand.

"Dear God, what sorta luck chu' givin' this boy!" cried Nancy. Dodger grinned as he reshuffled all of the cards.

Charley took one of his hands off the table and put it under, to rest on his lap. Dodger began to deal the cards again.

Charley knew it would be risk to let his hand creep along the bench as he didn't really want their fun to be exposed so early but he let it do so anyway. His hand reached Jack's leg and began to feel its way up. To Charley's satisfaction, Dodger began to look ever so slightly uncomfortable. He also appeared to be a little distracted from the game at hand.

"Ha ha!" shouted Bet, having just won the round while Dodger's mind had been preoccupied.

"What's goin' on Dodge?" asked Nancy, jokingly.

Jack flushed slightly and undercover of Bet's celebration cries with her friend, he put his hand under the table and caught Charley's. He held it tightly for a few moments before letting it go.

Both boys began to smile to themselves.

"Eh? Why chu' two suddenly grinnin' like tha'? What's goin' on?" asked Bet, cautiously. She didn't quite trust their cheeky faces in such a broad smile after Dodger had just lost to her.

"Nothin'!" chorused Jack and Charley. They locked eyes for a split, electric, second before looking back down at their cards.

Oh yes, now they were even!


	3. Fleeting moments

**Fleeting Moments**

It was breakfast and it was the normal chaos of a group of young boys scrabbling for the bread and ham that had been sneakily brought home by the Artful Dodger.

"Oi, you!" cried Fagin "come back 'ere with tha' loafa bread! It ain't jus' for you!"

The small boy slunk back to the table and sulkily returned the loaf to the tabletop.

Charley Bates looked at the boy's grumpy face. He found it very funny…

"Charley… Charley… Charley! CHARLEY!" shouted the Dodger.

"Master Bates, me boy, I fink someun wants ya." Commented Fagin.

"Wha'? Oh." Said Charley coming back to earth a little. He turned to face his friend, who was sorting out the gin-and-water cups.

"Pass us the gin."

Charley scanned the table for the bottle. He caught sight of it, picked it up and held it out to Jack.

The Dodger took it but as he did his hand overlapped Charley's. Charley felt a tingle shoot through his arm. He felt sure that it wasn't a coincidence that his mate's hand had landed there or that it had remained there a second longer than was expected. Charley knew that Dodger was just playing the game again but even so, he felt his cheeks colour. He almost immediately brushed it off and helped himself to ham.

But Fagin had noticed Charley's reaction. He noted what had passed between them and resolved to keep a close eye on the boys…


	4. It was nothing more than a dance

**It was nothing more than a dance**

"Come now boys, where's your enthus'asm t'night?" asked Fagin, looking around at his little pick pocketing gang.

The gang looked sceptically back at him. They had nothing to do tonight. Charley had half-heartedly suggested a game of cards, but even the Artful Dodger was a little sick of the game.

"There ain't nothin' t'do, Fagin." Sighed James from the corner.

"Nonsense!" Cried Fagin. "'course there's lots t'do!"

"Like wha'." Said another boy called Eddie.

"'Ow's 'bout we get up on our feet 'n 'ave a laugh! Sam; pick a few songs t' play on the piano!"

Sam jumped up and then ran over to the very old, cheap and probably stolen piano. He was one of the few boys that actually had the patience to sit down and teach themselves how to play. He began a fairly fast song and Fagin started to dance.

Fagin's dance was incredibly stupid and very, very funny! The boy's couldn't help it! They laughed at his dance with the mirth that Fagin had hoped to bring out.

Jack Dawkins couldn't sit still and ignore the chance of encouraging more laughs! So he jumped up too and began to copy Fagin's wacky dance.

Everyone laughed even harder at that and they too decided that it would be a good idea to join in!

More and more of the boys joined until everyone was spontaneously throwing shapes!

In a change in the music, Dodger decided to bring a new idea to the table. He quickly sought out Charley and grabbed his hand. Charley, having known Jack for so long, understood what he was suggesting and placed his hand on the Dodger's shoulder while Dodger placed the hand not engaged with Charley's on his lower back, so that they now looked like they were ballroom dancing.

But instead of doing some sort of serious slow dance, they messed about a bit and picked it up to a cheesy, over-dramatic mickey-take of one.

Several of the boys fell about laughing at the sheer stupidity of their new improvised dance and especially liked it when Charley leapt on to Dodger, who caught him and spun him around.

A couple of boys took their idea in their stride and were grabbing each other as partners.

As each song ended and a new one began the boys would all switch partners. Fagin watched from his armchair by the fireplace, having sat out of the faster dances ("I'm sorry boys, but I jus' ain't as young as I once was, ya know!") and grinned at the couples flinging themselves around the room.

One thing Fagin was amused, and curious about was how after every other dance or so, Dodger and Charley would always end up back as partners somehow. They seemed to dance the best with each other and come up with the most hilarious moves when dancing with each other.

This went on for the next half hour or so, during which time, Fagin turned away from the merriment and looked out of the open window. It was a particularly beautiful night with the moon shining milky white against the deep, velvety black star-less sky.

Fagin wished he could just sit there and gaze at the sky, forgetting his worries and many problems and just letting the music wash over him…

Suddenly, a wrong note on the piano brought the Jew back from his daydream. He looked over to Sam. He wasn't surprised to see the little boy practically falling asleep mid-song! Well, he had been playing for a fair while now!

"Sam, dear, you look ex'austed! Come, come, we must all get some rest for t'morro'!"

A mummer of "Awww, Fagin!" and "Jus' one 'ore song!" swept the room.

"Alrigh', alrigh'! Jus' one 'ore then, an' make it a slow one!"

So Sam mustered all the energy he had left and began to play a slow, calming song, to wind everyone down and relax them ready for bed.

The song wasn't one that you could mess around to, so the boys were forced to get their partners and waltz around the room.

Charley naturally partnered Jack (earning a small smile from Fagin) and found himself being lead smoothly around by him.

After several days of touching, flirting, experimenting and general harmless fun, Charley found it nice to just be with his friend and just… just… hold him.

Charley looked into Dodger's smiling face as Dodger looked right back into Charley's bright blue eyes. All the while Charley found himself forgetting the rest of the boys. Very soon it became just him, Dodger and the music.

The music was getting slower and slower and the pair found themselves moving less and less, until pretty soon, they were just kind of swaying on the spot together.

Charley took a chance, having not really thought about it, and placed his head on Jack's shoulder. Jack took this to be all part of their game, but it wasn't intended so. Jack thought himself to be winning back the "point" by putting his chin on Charley's shoulder.

Neither of them had any idea at how long they stayed like that, as both had closed their eyes to concentrate wholly on the comfort they were receiving. When they did eventually open their eyes they realised that the music had stopped and the pianist was missing. Most of the boys were no longer in the room, and the last few were just giving their "goodnight's" to Fagin.

The Dodger seemed to recollect himself first and, realising that Fagin was looking at them, pulled away from Charley.

"G'night Fagin." Called Jack, as he walked out of the room.

"Good night, me boy!" replied Fagin.

Charley walked to the door.

"Good night Fagin."

"Good night, Charley. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself t'nigh'." He said, with a knowing look.

Charley didn't quite understand what that look meant but he didn't worry for long as before he knew it, he was asleep in his bed.


	5. Winning points back

**Winning points back**

The Artful Dodger grinned as he saw the crowd of confused and squabbling people he had left behind. He laughed as he thought that it was all because of a simple pocket watch he had stolen from a rich gentleman. But the way he was now stubbornly accusing another man; he did not earn the title "gentle".

Charley Bates appeared, huffing and puffing at Dodger's shoulder.

"Chu get off alrigh'?" asked Dodger, Charley's best friend.

"Yeah, got of an'… an' then ran inta some posh lady… in a big dress… pushin' her inta a puddle. She ain't pleased. I think she said 'twas new… or somein'…" he replied, with regular breaks so as to gulp in air. "Take it that's your doin'." Charley gestured to the hustle and bustle.

"Yep!" said Dodger, cheerfully. Charley straightened up, now fully recovered from his escape from an angry woman. Dodger, seeing this, turned his back on the arguments and walked calmly down a dirty side-street with Charley by his side.

They were alone down this dingy ally, and Jack Dawkins let his mind wander to the various other times him and Charley had been alone; the times when they had played their stupid game. First the table and what had almost, but not quite, happened there. Next the card game with Nancy and Bet, and then the dance. It was all very funny and for pure enjoyment wasn't it? None of it really mattered, right? Right. He messed about with Charley and he knew it. But he could trust his friend to take it light-heartedly. Couldn't he?

Something brushed his hand lightly. He thought nothing of it. Then it brushed him again. It was Charley's hand. Charley was still looking straight ahead of him but his hand continued to swing. Then, when Dodger looked back up ahead of him, down the deserted street, Charley's hand slipped quickly into his.

Jack's heart began to pound inside his chest. Someone was actually holding his hand. _Charley_ was actually holding his hand! Half of him was screaming in disapproval. It claimed it wasn't right for this to be happening. For him to be holding his best mate's hand. For his best mate to be a boy… But another half said it didn't care and that he should just play along. And if Charley could see no reason to let go, nor shall he! Like he said, it was all a stupid game.

"I win the point." Whispered Charley.

"Chu sure did." Smiled Dodger.

They walked a little further, still holding hands.

"'Ow da we know when we win the game, Dodge?"

"I… I dunno, Charley."

"Then what are we playing for? What will we win?"

"Does it ma'er? Do ya 'ave t' play for som'in?"

"I… I'm not sure. Well, we're playin' for nothin', but that don't seem t' be stoppin' us… but I dunno why we're playin' then…"

"Do ya wanna stop playin'?" asked Dodger, stopping in his tracks and letting go of Charley's hand. Charley stood facing Dodger for a few moments, opening and closing his mouth a little like a fish, as though he either didn't know what to say or he was having trouble saying it. In the end Charley just gave up on the whole idea of using words and took hold of his friend's hand again.

Jack looked down at it and then back up into Charley's startlingly blue eyes. He grinned his usual cheeky grin and carried on with his journey to nowhere in particular.

"Do ya s'pose…" began Charley, "do ya s'pose this is really a game any more…?"

Before Jack Dawkins had even given a moments thought to the question, Bet suddenly appeared right in front of them.

"'Ello, boys!"

Charley and Dodger sprang apart from each other, letting go of hands. Bet looked from one guilty face to the next.

"Why chu two sudd'ly five feet away from each other?" she asked.

"Five… five feet?" stammered Charley.

"We… why would we… chu got the wrong impression!" exclaimed Dodger as him and Charley shuffled a little closer together.

"Riiiiiiiiight." Said Bet slowly and with a concerned look on her face. "Well, I was only gonna ask ya t' give a message t' Fagin from Nancy. She said tha' she'll c'lect the money 'e owes Bill t'morrow mornin', alrigh'? Will ya do that for me? An' ya gotta promise not t' change the message, either. Don't want no more 'Nancy said she'll be round at midnigh' t' come an' steal all the gin an' t' draw faces on us when we're asleep' like last time, eh?"

Neither of the boys said anything, but nodded their heads vigorously instead. Charley's eyebrows were sitting unnaturally high up his forehead.

"Ok then, I'll see chu boys soon, yeah! I got other stuff t' be getting' on with."

Bet watched as the two young pickpockets edged shiftily round her, began walking away and then broke into a run.

What a strange pair those boys were. One minute they're the nosiest, cheekiest boys in all of London, the next they look like a pair of frightened mice about to be discovered by a cat.

Bet shook her head and walked down the way the Dodger and Charley had come down the cold, dirt-covered, littered ally.


	6. He knew it now and hated it

**He knew it now… and hated it**

One experiences many things in life. Especially as one gets older. But the Artful Dodger thought he had seen it all. He was about to find out just how wrong he was.

~#~

Dodger lay on his back, starring at the ceiling. But the ceiling was just about as interesting as it had been yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that…

_What is wrong with me?_ Thought the boy. He hadn't been able to do anything these past few days, including going to sleep. _I am ill?_ But he couldn't be. He'd seen other boys in the gang be ill before, and he most defiantly was not as pale or as shaky as they had been.

So if he was not ill, what was he? Dawkins racked his brains to find an answer to this puzzling question.

_Right_, he thought, _let's begin with what it is I am feeling_. He was finding it hard to even put his finger on the weird sensation that had occasionally (nay, often!) spread though his body. It always started in his stomach, he knew that much. It was like his tummy was tying itself up in knots or was having a sudden fit. It made him feel sick, but at the same time made him feel exhilarated.

Next it spread to his chest. His heart would rattle around inside his ribcage, as though trying to get out, beating faster and faster making him breathless.

The feeling took over his entire body, numbing his arms and over-riding his brain, paralysing it and stopping any normal thought processing. And it didn't stop after that. In fact it was pretty much there all the time, although it did sometimes subside a little. But never for very long. It always came back for more.

If there was one thing in life that Jack found the most daunting, it was change. He didn't want his life to change. He liked it. He liked being Fagin's favourite. He liked the thrill of picking pockets all day. He liked escaping from traps. He liked showing off to Nancy and Bet. He liked being Charley's best mate.

There it was! His stomach had just done several back flips! And why? Dodger was pretty sure it was the mention of Charley's name but he could barely admit it to himself.

He though he knew everything about his life, but it suddenly dawned on him that that was far from the truth. A little voice in the back of his mind, the voice that did always speak the truth, had mentioned a word repeatedly. But Dodger had always ignored it and pushed it aside. He was running out of excuses to justify why he had done that. And the word. The word that little voice kept whispering. The word that filled the young boy with the same amount of unease and it did curiosity.

Love.

He had come up with so many other reasons for his feelings, but however hard he tried to deny this and cover it up, he had to accept sometime or other that love was the only explanation that didn't have a flaw.

He was in love with Charley Bates. He knew it now… and hated it. Him, the cheeky, tough-guy Artful Dodger, in love? It would ruin his entire reputation! It would make him look like a softy. It would supply that spark to start the fires in his colleges, which he knew were half hoping to over-throw him to become the new "favourite".

Dodger cursed himself for letting it get this far with Charley. He wanted this new feeling to go. He wanted to just be able to look at his best mate without wanting to… to…

This had to stop. And it had to stop NOW! Dodger made up his mind. Tomorrow he would end the game with Charley. Tell him that he'd won and make it a thing of the past. That way everything could go back to normal.

Hopefully.


	7. Charley's Battle

**Charley's Battle**

Charley had been broken for some time now.

Not that he knew it.

Charley had been messed up for some time now.

Not that he knew it.

Charley had been falling for some time now.

Not that he knew it.

~#~

Charley sighed as he looked across the busy morning street, not really taking it in.

"Oi, 'ow many times do I 'ave t' tell ya t' move!" came a frustrated voice over his shoulder. Charley looked up at the cross man, startled to find that he was really standing there, telling him to move. He had a sweeping brush in his hand, so Charley finally twigged that he was in the way of the man sweeping the steps that he'd been sitting on.

Charley got up and started to walk down the street with a spring in his step. Not even a grumpy old man with a brush could dampen his spirits today. Charley had his head up in the clouds, with no intention of coming back down anytime soon.

'_I like being this_ _happy'_ thought Charley _'But why am I?'_

Charley stopped abruptly, right in the middle of the street. Ignoring everyone's groans and mumblings, he began to think.

They hadn't found anything of value recently. Nor had they got any more food than usual. Nor had anything exciting happened… well, the only exception to that one was The Game.

Dodger and Charley's game. Dodger and Charley. Charley and Dodger… Dodger and Charley… The more he thought about it, the better it seemed.

A fluttering started in the pit of stomach. It felt odd… but at the same time, made him smile. He felt like this whenever he so much as thought about the Artful Dodger.

'_Oh Jack,'_ thought Charley as he set off again slowly down the street, _'Jack Dawkins, I love you!'_

Charley Bates felt as though he could fly! He'd finally got his head round it all. He loved Jack, and not in the silly, playful friendship way. In the way that he wanted to hold him and love him until all his fears or disappointments went away. And he wanted Dodger to love him back. That's all he wanted; for them to be always together, always happy.

He didn't care if people told him he was wrong, or that it was wrong that he loved another guy. It was his business, not theirs anyway!

But what to do now? He knew where he wanted this to go but what about Dodger? His stomach flipped over. It could either go one way or the other. He knew Dodger far too well for there to be an in-between. Dodger could either love him back and all Charley's hopes and dreams would finally start to come true, or he could completely reject him, be disgusted with him and that would be the end of their friendship. Gulp. Whatever he did he _certainly_ didn't want to risk their friendship.

He needed a way to find out how his mate felt without risking everything all-out. The only problem was that Charley was an all-or-nothing person. He had to throw himself 100% into a situation, or else he wouldn't do it at all. Charley raked his brains but nothing came forwards. He reached the same conclusion that he nearly always did; just go for it.

Charley drew in a big breath, his mind buzzing. He was going to let Jack Dawkins know exactly how he felt next time they were alone. After all, nothing would ever get anywhere if they both kept quite. Charley would have to be the one to sum up the courage.

Charley knew that very soon he would either be flying high or coming crashing down.


	8. Head Vs heart

**Head Vs heart**

The Artful Dodger poked the burnt bits of bacon at the bottom of the pan absent-mindedly, as they sizzled over the small wood fire. He could hear the rest of the gang's lively chatter and laughter, as they mucked about at the table discussing what sounded like the "proper way to greet each other". Dodger was pretty sure that Eddie was now doing another of his famous impressions of an upper-class citizen and that the always sarcastic James was making some witty remark about it.

The Artful snapped out of his "trance" at a tap on his shoulder. He turned his head to see Charley Bates standing very close to him. Charley had hoped to use the cover of the obviously hilarious conversation to have an important chat with his friend. If all went well, they could sneak out without any awkward questions.

"Can I speak t' ya for a sec, Dodge?"

"Yeh, alrigh'." Whispered the Dodger back. He put down the metal rod he'd been using and followed Charley to the door.

"Where yous two goin'?" asked Henry. Why was it that that boy had to be so aware of everything?

"Oh, I jus' need Dodger's 'elp t' find this handkerchief I lost." Came Charley's well rehearsed lie with ease.

"Oh, an' will ya jus' watch the bacon, for me 'Enry. Cheers mate." Added Dodger. There were no more probing questions and Charley and the Dodger could leave casually while the rest on the gang's thieves instinct kicked in, making them note that they should keep an eye out for this handkerchief (but not so they could help Charley; only so as they could claim it as something they nicked).

Charley lead Dodger up the stair case with purpose and direction.

"So, where did ya last see it?" Asked Dodger as he hurried up the creaky stairs. Charley stopped and turned to face Dodger with one eyebrow raised. Dodger got the message that there was no handkerchief. But half of him already knew that.

He closed the door behind himself. Dodger and Charley were now standing in the much less familiar loft. (The very same loft that contained Fagin's box of treasures…) Dodger turned away from the door and faced Charley, who was in the very centre of the room.

"What was it ya wanted t' speak t' me about?"

All the things that Charley had planned to say seemed to have evaporated into thin air. Now he couldn't think of a single thing to say. He knew where he wanted to end, but where to start?

"I… um…" began Charley.

"Is it about our Little Game?" interrupted Dodger, but he knew the answer.

"Yes." Breathed Charley. Was that just a lucky guess or was it something more…? Now that the subject was settled, Charley found that words were starting to come back to him. "I know that it was only sup'osed t' be a Li'le Game but I can't 'elp thinking that something between us has changed because of it. I dunno quite how t' say this Ja'k…"

Charley stepped forwards and looked into his friend's face. Dodger's worst fears were being confirmed… yet Dodger had noticed that Charley had used his real name rather than his nickname. Charley was the _only_ person who was allowed to use that name and it struck something in his heart.

"… but I wanted it t' be more than pretend. I wanted it t' be… well, t' be real. I love ya." It felt like a great weight had been taken off Charley's shoulders. His feelings were finally off his chest and out there, in the open. It was now for Jack to decide which way things would go. Even with Charley's relief, he still felt the tension and all that relied on Jack's reply.

Jack Dawkin's mind was in a roaring battle. Half of him was trying to persuade him to turn Charley down and make sure that everything went back to the way they were, and the other half was willing him to take a chance. Well, as Charley had been honest with him, he would say what was going through him mind too.

"Look Charley. You know I ain't one t' be very good with change… an' my head's tellin' me that this was all a mistake. We could never work it out. We'd lose our rep too. And no-one would take us seriously. It could be too much of a risk. Especially as our frien'ship was so good before…"

Charley's heart sank. He'd messed up. He cursed himself for letting fantasy run away with him. Now he could've ruined their friendship forever!

"…but…"

"But?" repeated Charley, hopefully.

"…but my heart's sayin' something else. My heart knows that I was so happy when we were playin' the game. It was like nothin' else ma'ered. Nothin' in the world! 'Cept, o'course you."

"Do ya really feel like that?"

Jack hesitated. Was it so bad that he was happy when he was with Charley? There was too much hate and misfortune in his life that he knew he needed Charley. So why should he turn an offer of happiness away?

"Yeh." Said Dodger, definitely, "Yes, I do. Charley Bates, I love you."

Jack grinned at Charley. Charley grinned back. Then, the two boys embraced. Not in the way they had done so many times before; in a more meaningful way.

Pressing Charley's warm body to his own, Dawkins said quietly in his lover's ear;

"Let's make it jus' between you and me. It's no-one else's business. What they don't know won't hurt 'em"

"Yeh." Agreed Charley. "It'll be harmless."

Charley pulled back a bit to give the other a wink. Then Jack pulled him back in.

And they kissed.

~#~

**The end**


End file.
